Systems and methods for leakage detection in a liquid cooling system

ABSTRACT

A system may include an information handling resource, a liquid cooling system for providing cooling of the information handling resource, a management controller for providing out-of-band management of the system, and a strain gauge sensor within a fluidic pathway of the liquid cooling system and communicatively coupled to the management controller and configured to measure a mechanical strain upon the strain gauge sensor in response to flow of fluid through a fluidic channel of the liquid cooling system and communicate one or more signals to the management controller indicative of the mechanical strain.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates in general to information handlingsystems, and more particularly to detection of leakage in liquid-cooledinformation handling systems.

BACKGROUND

As the value and use of information continues to increase, individualsand businesses seek additional ways to process and store information.One option available to users is information handling systems. Aninformation handling system generally processes, compiles, stores,and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or otherpurposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of theinformation. Because technology and information handling needs andrequirements vary between different users or applications, informationhandling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled,how the information is handled, how much information is processed,stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the informationmay be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in informationhandling systems allow for information handling systems to be general orconfigured for a specific user or specific use such as financialtransaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage,or global communications. In addition, information handling systems mayinclude a variety of hardware and software components that may beconfigured to process, store, and communicate information and mayinclude one or more computer systems, data storage systems, andnetworking systems.

As processors, graphics cards, random access memory (RAM) and othercomponents in information handling systems have increased in clock speedand power consumption, the amount of heat produced by such components asa side-effect of normal operation has also increased. Often, thetemperatures of these components need to be kept within a reasonablerange to prevent overheating, instability, malfunction, and damageleading to a shortened component lifespan. Accordingly, air movers(e.g., cooling fans and blowers) have often been used in informationhandling systems to cool information handling systems and theircomponents.

To control temperature of components of an information handling system,an air mover may direct air over one or more heatsinks thermally coupledto individual components. Traditional approaches to cooling componentsmay include a “passive” cooling system that serves to reject heat of acomponent to air driven by one or more system-level air movers (e.g.,fans) for cooling multiple components of an information handling systemin addition to the peripheral component. Another traditional approachmay include an “active” cooling system that uses liquid cooling, inwhich a heat-exchanging cold plate is thermally coupled to thecomponent, and a chilled fluid is passed through conduits internal tothe cold plate to remove heat from the component.

Because liquid cooling systems often utilize water, a water-basedsolution, or other electrically-conductive fluids, leaks from a liquidcooling system may present a danger to electrical and electroniccomponents of an information handling system. Accordingly, systems andmethods for detecting leaks in a liquid cooling system may be desirable.

SUMMARY

In accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure, thedisadvantages and problems associated with detecting leakage in liquidcooling systems may be substantially reduced or eliminated.

In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a system mayinclude an information handling resource, a liquid cooling system forproviding cooling of the information handling resource, a managementcontroller for providing out-of-band management of the system, and astrain gauge sensor within a fluidic pathway of the liquid coolingsystem and communicatively coupled to the management controller andconfigured to measure a mechanical strain upon the strain gauge sensorin response to flow of fluid through a fluidic channel of the liquidcooling system and communicate one or more signals to the managementcontroller indicative of the mechanical strain.

In accordance with these and other embodiments of the presentdisclosure, a method may include measuring a mechanical strain upon astrain gauge sensor located within a fluidic pathway of a liquid coolingsystem for providing cooling of an information handling system andcommunicating one or more signals to a management controller forproviding out-of-band management of information handling system, the oneor more signals indicative of the mechanical strain.

In accordance with these and other embodiments of the presentdisclosure, a system may include a fluidic channel configured to conveya fluid and a strain gauge sensor within the fluidic channel andconfigured to measure a mechanical strain upon the strain gauge sensorin response to flow of fluid through the fluidic channel and communicateone or more signals to a management controller for providing out-of-bandmanagement of the system, the one or more signals indicative of themechanical strain.

Technical advantages of the present disclosure may be readily apparentto one skilled in the art from the figures, description and claimsincluded herein. The objects and advantages of the embodiments will berealized and achieved at least by the elements, features, andcombinations particularly pointed out in the claims.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description andthe following detailed description are examples and explanatory and arenot restrictive of the claims set forth in this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of the present embodiments and advantagesthereof may be acquired by referring to the following description takenin conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like referencenumbers indicate like features, and wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of selected components of an exampleserver enclosure housing a plurality of information handling systems, inaccordance with embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of selected components of an exampleinformation handling system, in accordance with embodiments of thepresent disclosure; and

FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional elevation view of a strain gaugesensor within a fluidic conduit, in accordance with embodiments of thepresent disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Preferred embodiments and their advantages are best understood byreference to FIGS. 1 through 3 , wherein like numbers are used toindicate like and corresponding parts. For the purposes of thisdisclosure, an information handling system may include anyinstrumentality or aggregate of instrumentalities operable to compute,classify, process, transmit, receive, retrieve, originate, switch,store, display, manifest, detect, record, reproduce, handle, or utilizeany form of information, intelligence, or data for business, scientific,control, entertainment, or other purposes. For example, an informationhandling system may be a personal computer, a PDA, a consumer electronicdevice, a network storage device, or any other suitable device and mayvary in size, shape, performance, functionality, and price. Theinformation handling system may include memory, one or more processingresources such as a central processing unit (CPU) or hardware orsoftware control logic. Additional components of the informationhandling system may include one or more storage devices, one or morecommunications ports for communicating with external devices as well asvarious input and output (I/O) devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, anda video display. The information handling system may also include one ormore buses operable to transmit communication between the varioushardware components.

For the purposes of this disclosure, computer-readable media may includeany instrumentality or aggregation of instrumentalities that may retaindata and/or instructions for a period of time. Computer-readable mediamay include, without limitation, storage media such as a direct accessstorage device (e.g., a hard disk drive or floppy disk), a sequentialaccess storage device (e.g., a tape disk drive), compact disk, CD-ROM,DVD, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electricallyerasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), and/or flash memory; aswell as communications media such as wires, optical fibers, microwaves,radio waves, and other electromagnetic and/or optical carriers; and/orany combination of the foregoing.

For the purposes of this disclosure, information handling resources maybroadly refer to any component system, device or apparatus of aninformation handling system, including without limitation processors,buses, memories, I/O devices and/or interfaces, storage resources,network interfaces, motherboards, integrated circuit packages;electro-mechanical devices (e.g., air movers), displays, and powersupplies.

FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of selected components of an exampleserver enclosure 100 housing a plurality of information handling systems102, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. Enclosure100 may comprise any suitable housing or other container for housing aplurality of information handling systems 102, and may be constructedfrom any suitable materials, including metal and/or plastic. As shown inFIG. 1 , in addition to housing a plurality of information handlingsystems 102, enclosure 100 may also include a manifold 130, strain gaugesensors 132, a chassis management controller 134, and a plurality offluidic conduits 126.

Manifold 130 may include any system, device, or apparatus configured toreceive coolant fluid from a centralized fluid cooling and distributionsystem (e.g., a radiator for cooling coolant fluid), distribute (e.g.,under pressure applied from a pump of the centralized fluid cooling anddistribution system) such coolant fluid to the plurality of informationhandling systems 102 via fluidic conduits 126 fluidically coupled tomanifold 130, receive such coolant fluid back from information handlingsystems 102 via fluidic conduits 126 fluidically coupled to manifold130, and then distribute coolant fluid back to the centralized fluidcooling and distribution system.

Thus, in operation, manifold 130 may receive cooled coolant fluid fromthe centralized fluid cooling and distribution system (e.g., a radiator)and convey the coolant fluid to each of information handling systems102. Each information handling system 102 may have its own internalcoolant fluid distribution network, such that coolant fluid distributedto each information handling system 102 may cool components of suchinformation handling system 102 on account of heat transfer from suchcomponents to the coolant fluid. After flowing through the internalcoolant fluid distribution network of an information handling system102, the heated coolant fluid may return to manifold 130. Manifold 130may be constructed to isolate the cooled coolant fluid received from thecentralized fluid cooling and distribution system from the heatedcoolant fluid received from information handling systems 102. Manifold130 may further route the heated coolant fluid back to the centralizedfluid cooling and distribution system, where the coolant fluid may becooled and recirculated back to manifold 130.

As also shown, a plurality of strain gauge sensors 132 may befluidically coupled between manifold 130 and respective informationhandling systems 102. A strain gauge sensor 132 may comprise anysuitable system, device, or apparatus configured to measure mechanicalstrain on an object. For example, a strain gauge sensor 132 may comprisean insulating flexible backing which supports a metallic foil pattern.The strain gauge sensor 132 may be attached to the object by a suitableadhesive or any other suitable means of mechanical coupling. As theobject is deformed, the foil is deformed, causing its electricalresistance to change. Such resistance change, which may be measuredusing a Wheatstone bridge, is related to the mechanical strain. Inaddition, a strain gauge sensor 132 may also be configured tocommunicate an electrical or electronic signal (e.g., to chassismanagement controller 134) indicative of the mechanical strain.

Although strain gauge sensors 132 are shown in FIG. 1 as being coupledto both the fluid inlets of information handling systems 102 and thefluid outlets of information handling systems 102, in some embodiments,strain gauge sensors 132 may be present only at fluid inlets ofinformation handling systems 102 or only at fluid outlets of informationhandling systems 102.

Further, although strain gauge sensors 132 are shown in FIG. 1 as beinglocated within fluidic conduits 126, strain gauge sensors 132 may beplaced within any suitable fluidic pathway of the liquid cooling systemof server enclosure 100.

Chassis management controller 134 may comprise any system, device, orapparatus configured to facilitate management and/or control ofenclosure 100 and/or one or more of its component information handlingsystems 102. Chassis management controller 134 may be configured toissue commands and/or other signals to manage and/or control informationhandling system 102 and/or its information handling resources. Chassismanagement controller 134 may comprise a microprocessor,microcontroller, DSP, ASIC, field programmable gate array (“FPGA”),EEPROM, or any combination thereof. Chassis management controller 134also may be configured to provide out-of-band management facilities formanagement of enclosure 100, for example via a management consolecommunicatively coupled to chassis management controller 134. Suchmanagement may be made by chassis management controller 134 even ifenclosure 100 and its information handling systems 102 are powered offor powered to a standby state.

In operation, strain gauge sensors 132 may each measure mechanicalstrain induced by flow of coolant fluid flowing through them and reportsignals indicative of the respective mechanical strains to chassismanagement controller 134. In some embodiments, chassis managementcontroller 134 may intelligently analyze the respective mechanicalstrains in order to determine a health status of the liquid coolingsystem including any issues with flow rate, leaks, and/or flowimbalances. In other embodiments, chassis management controller 134 maysimply collect information regarding the respective mechanical strainsfor analysis by an administrator or user interfacing (e.g., with amanagement console) via chassis management controller 134. As a specificexample, a mechanical strain reading below a threshold value mayindicate decreased pressure within a fluidic conduit, thus furtherindicating possibility of a presence of a leak of coolant fluid from theliquid cooling system.

FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of selected components of an exampleinformation handling system 102, in accordance with embodiments of thepresent disclosure. In some embodiments, information handling system 102may comprise a server or “blade.” In other embodiments, informationhandling system 102 may comprise a personal computer (e.g., a desktopcomputer, laptop computer, mobile computer, and/or notebook computer).In yet other embodiments, information handling system 102 may comprise astorage device configured to house a plurality of physical disk drivesand/or other computer-readable media for storing data. As shown in FIG.2 , information handling system 102 may include a processor 103, amemory 104, a temperature sensor 106, an air mover 108, a managementcontroller 112, a device 116, and a liquid cooling system 118.

Processor 103 may comprise any system, device, or apparatus operable tointerpret and/or execute program instructions and/or process data, andmay include, without limitation a microprocessor, microcontroller,digital signal processor (DSP), application specific integrated circuit(ASIC), or any other digital or analog circuitry configured to interpretand/or execute program instructions and/or process data. In someembodiments, processor 103 may interpret and/or execute programinstructions and/or process data stored in memory 104 and/or anothercomponent of information handling system 102.

Memory 104 may be communicatively coupled to processor 103 and maycomprise any system, device, or apparatus operable to retain programinstructions or data for a period of time. Memory 104 may compriserandom access memory (RAM), electrically erasable programmable read-onlymemory (EEPROM), a PCMCIA card, flash memory, magnetic storage,opto-magnetic storage, or any suitable selection and/or array ofvolatile or non-volatile memory that retains data after power toinformation handling system 102 is turned off.

Air mover 108 may include any mechanical or electro-mechanical system,apparatus, or device operable to move air and/or other gases in order tocool information handling resources of information handling system 102.In some embodiments, air mover 108 may comprise a fan (e.g., a rotatingarrangement of vanes or blades which act on the air). In otherembodiments, air mover 108 may comprise a blower (e.g., a centrifugalfan that employs rotating impellers to accelerate air received at itsintake and change the direction of the airflow). In these and otherembodiments, rotating and other moving components of air mover 108 maybe driven by a motor 110. The rotational speed of motor 110 may becontrolled by an air mover control signal communicated from thermalcontrol system 114 of management controller 112. In operation, air mover108 may cool information handling resources of information handlingsystem 102 by drawing cool air into an enclosure housing the informationhandling resources from outside the chassis, expel warm air from insidethe enclosure to the outside of such enclosure, and/or move air acrossone or more heat sinks (not explicitly shown) internal to the enclosureto cool one or more information handling resources.

Management controller 112 may comprise any system, device, or apparatusconfigured to facilitate management and/or control of informationhandling system 102 and/or one or more of its component informationhandling resources. Management controller 112 may be configured to issuecommands and/or other signals to manage and/or control informationhandling system 102 and/or its information handling resources.Management controller 112 may comprise a microprocessor,microcontroller, DSP, ASIC, field programmable gate array (“FPGA”),EEPROM, or any combination thereof. Management controller 112 also maybe configured to provide out-of-band management facilities formanagement of information handling system 102, for example via amanagement console communicatively coupled to management controller 112.Such management may be made by management controller 112 even ifinformation handling system 102 is powered off or powered to a standbystate. In certain embodiments, management controller 112 may include ormay be an integral part of a baseboard management controller (BMC), aremote access controller (e.g., a Dell Remote Access Controller orIntegrated Dell Remote Access Controller), or an enclosure controller.

As shown in FIG. 2 , management controller 112 may include a thermalcontrol system 114. Thermal control system 114 may include any system,device, or apparatus configured to receive one or more signalsindicative of one or more temperatures within information handlingsystem 102 (e.g., one or more signals from one or more temperaturesensors 106), and based on such signals, calculate an air mover drivingsignal to maintain an appropriate level of cooling, increase cooling, ordecrease cooling, as appropriate, and communicate such air mover drivingsignal to air mover 108. In these and other embodiments, thermal controlsystem 114 may be configured to receive information from otherinformation handling resources and calculate the air mover drivingsignal based on such received information in addition to temperatureinformation. For example, as described in greater detail below, thermalcontrol system 114 may receive configuration data from device 116 and/orother information handling resources of information handling system 102,which may include thermal requirement information of one or moreinformation handling resources. In addition to temperature informationcollected from sensors within information handling system 102, thermalcontrol system 114 may also calculate the air mover driving signal basedon such information received from information handling resources.

Temperature sensor 106 may be any system, device, or apparatus (e.g., athermometer, thermistor, etc.) configured to communicate a signal toprocessor 103 or another controller indicative of a temperature withininformation handling system 102. In many embodiments, informationhandling system 102 may comprise a plurality of temperature sensors 106,wherein each temperature sensor 106 detects a temperature of aparticular component and/or location within information handling system102.

Device 116 may comprise any component information handling system ofinformation handling system 102, including without limitationprocessors, buses, memories, I/O devices and/or interfaces, storageresources, network interfaces, motherboards, integrated circuitpackages, electro-mechanical devices, displays, and power supplies.

Oftentimes, an architecture of information handling system 102 may besuch that device 116 may not be adequately cooled by air mover 108, andthus liquid cooling system 118 may provide cooling of device 116 inaddition to or in lieu of air mover 108. As shown in FIG. 2 , liquidcooling system 118 may include heat-rejecting media 122, one or morestrain gauge sensors 132, and fluidic conduits 126.

In normal operation, a pump (which is not explicitly shown and may beexternal to information handling system 102 and may be located within acentralized fluid cooling and distribution system) may induce a flow ofliquid (e.g., water, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, or othercoolant) through various fluidic conduits 126 of information handlingsystem 102 and strain gauge sensors 132. As fluid passes byheat-rejecting media 122 in a fluidic conduit 126 proximate to device116, heat may be transferred from device 116 to heat-rejecting media 122and from heat-rejecting media 122 to the liquid coolant in fluidicconduit 126. Such heated coolant may flow to a radiator (which is notexplicitly shown and may be external to information handling system 102and may be located within a centralized fluid cooling and distributionsystem), and heat from the coolant may be transferred from the coolantto air ambient to such radiator, thus cooling the fluid.

Heat-rejecting media 122 may include any system, device, or apparatusconfigured to transfer heat from an information handling resource (e.g.,device 116, as shown in FIG. 2 ), thus reducing a temperature of theinformation handling resource. For example, heat-rejecting media 122 mayinclude a solid thermally coupled to the information handling resource(e.g., heat pipe, heat spreader, heatsink, finstack, etc.) such thatheat generated by the information handling resource is transferred fromthe information handling resource.

As also shown in FIG. 2 , a plurality of strain gauge sensors 132 (whichmay be the same or similar to strain gauge sensors 132 depicted in FIG.1 ) may be fluidically coupled within the coolant fluid path of liquidcooling system 118. As shown in FIG. 2 , a strain gauge sensor 132 maybe configured to communicate an electrical or electronic signal (e.g.,to management controller 112), indicative of a volume of a mechanicalstrain upon the strain gauge sensor 132.

Although strain gauge sensors 132 are shown in FIG. 2 as being coupledto both the fluid inlet of heat-rejecting media 122 and the fluid outletof heat-rejecting media 122, in some embodiments, strain gauge sensors132 may be present only at fluid inlets of heat-rejecting media 122 oronly at fluid outlets of heat-rejecting media 122. Further, although(for purposes of clarity and exposition) only one instance ofheat-rejecting media 122 is shown in FIG. 2 , in some embodiments,liquid cooling system 118 may have multiple instances of heat-rejectingmedia 122, which may be fluidically coupled in parallel and/or serieswith each other.

Further, although strain gauge sensors 132 are shown in FIG. 2 as beinglocated within fluidic conduits 126, strain gauge sensors 132 may beplaced within any suitable fluidic pathway of liquid cooling system 118.

In operation, strain gauge sensors 132 may each measure respectivemechanical strains induced by flow of coolant fluid flowing through themand report signals indicative of the respective mechanical strains tomanagement controller 112. In some embodiments, management controller112 may intelligently analyze the respective mechanical strains in orderto determine a health status of the liquid cooling system including anyissues with flow rate, leaks, and/or flow imbalances. In otherembodiments, management controller 112 may simply collect informationregarding the mechanical strains for analysis by an administrator oruser interfacing (e.g., with a management console) via managementcontroller 112. As a specific example, a mechanical strain reading belowa threshold value may indicate decreased pressure within a fluidicconduit, thus further indicating possibility of a presence of a leak ofcoolant fluid from liquid cooling system 118.

In yet other embodiment, management controller 112 may becommunicatively coupled to chassis management controller 134, enablingthe collection and/or analysis of mechanical strain data at onecentralized device.

In addition to processor 103, memory 104, temperature sensor 106, airmover 108, management controller 112, device 116, and liquid coolingsystem 118, information handling system 102 may include one or moreother information handling resources. In addition, for the sake ofclarity and exposition of the present disclosure, FIG. 2 depicts onlyone air mover 108 and one device 116. In embodiments of the presentdisclosure, information handling system 102 may include any number ofair movers 108 and devices 116. Furthermore, for the sake of clarity andexposition of the present disclosure, FIG. 2 depicts device 116including a liquid cooling system 118 for cooling of device 116.However, in some embodiments, approaches similar or identical to thoseused to actively cool device 116 as described herein may be employed toprovide active cooling of processor 103, memory 104, managementcontroller 112, and/or any other information handling resource ofinformation handling system 102.

FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional elevation view of a strain gaugesensor 132 within a fluidic conduit 126, in accordance with embodimentsof the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 3 , a strain gauge sensor132 may be mounted within a fluidic conduit 126 via mounting structures302 to mechanically couple strain gauge sensor 132 to interior walls offluidic conduit 126. Electrical terminals 304 of strain gauge sensor 132may be appropriately insulated from coolant fluid within fluidic conduit126 and fluidic conduit 126 may be appropriately configured with sealedopenings that allow electrical terminals 304 to pass through the wallsof fluidic conduit 126 while maintaining coolant fluid within fluidicconduit 126. In operation, fluid flowing in fluidic conduit 126 may flowin a direction perpendicular to axes A and B depicted in FIG. 3 .

As used herein, when two or more elements are referred to as “coupled”to one another, such term indicates that such two or more elements arein electronic communication or mechanical communication, as applicable,whether connected indirectly or directly, with or without interveningelements.

This disclosure encompasses all changes, substitutions, variations,alterations, and modifications to the example embodiments herein that aperson having ordinary skill in the art would comprehend. Similarly,where appropriate, the appended claims encompass all changes,substitutions, variations, alterations, and modifications to the exampleembodiments herein that a person having ordinary skill in the art wouldcomprehend. Moreover, reference in the appended claims to an apparatusor system or a component of an apparatus or system being adapted to,arranged to, capable of, configured to, enabled to, operable to, oroperative to perform a particular function encompasses that apparatus,system, or component, whether or not it or that particular function isactivated, turned on, or unlocked, as long as that apparatus, system, orcomponent is so adapted, arranged, capable, configured, enabled,operable, or operative. Accordingly, modifications, additions, oromissions may be made to the systems, apparatuses, and methods describedherein without departing from the scope of the disclosure. For example,the components of the systems and apparatuses may be integrated orseparated. Moreover, the operations of the systems and apparatusesdisclosed herein may be performed by more, fewer, or other componentsand the methods described may include more, fewer, or other steps.Additionally, steps may be performed in any suitable order. As used inthis document, “each” refers to each member of a set or each member of asubset of a set.

Although exemplary embodiments are illustrated in the figures anddescribed above, the principles of the present disclosure may beimplemented using any number of techniques, whether currently known ornot. The present disclosure should in no way be limited to the exemplaryimplementations and techniques illustrated in the figures and describedabove.

Unless otherwise specifically noted, articles depicted in the figuresare not necessarily drawn to scale.

All examples and conditional language recited herein are intended forpedagogical objects to aid the reader in understanding the disclosureand the concepts contributed by the inventor to furthering the art, andare construed as being without limitation to such specifically recitedexamples and conditions. Although embodiments of the present disclosurehave been described in detail, it should be understood that variouschanges, substitutions, and alterations could be made hereto withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.

Although specific advantages have been enumerated above, variousembodiments may include some, none, or all of the enumerated advantages.Additionally, other technical advantages may become readily apparent toone of ordinary skill in the art after review of the foregoing figuresand description.

To aid the Patent Office and any readers of any patent issued on thisapplication in interpreting the claims appended hereto, applicants wishto note that they do not intend any of the appended claims or claimelements to invoke 35 U.S.C. § 112(f) unless the words “means for” or“step for” are explicitly used in the particular claim.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system comprising: an information handlingresource; a liquid cooling system for providing cooling of theinformation handling resource; a management controller for providingout-of-band management of the system; and a strain gauge sensor within afluidic pathway of the liquid cooling system and communicatively coupledto the management controller and configured to: measure a mechanicalstrain upon the strain gauge sensor in response to flow of fluid througha fluidic channel of the liquid cooling system; and communicate one ormore signals to the management controller indicative of the mechanicalstrain.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the strain gauge sensor isfluidically coupled between an information handling system and amanifold of a chassis configured to house a plurality of informationhandling systems including the information handling system.
 3. Thesystem of claim 2, wherein the management controller is a chassismanagement controller configured to provide out-of-band management ofthe chassis and components housed within the chassis.
 4. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the strain gauge sensor is internal to an informationhandling system.
 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the managementcontroller is configured to provide out-of-band management of theinformation handling system and components of the information handlingsystem.
 6. A method comprising: measuring a mechanical strain upon astrain gauge sensor located within a fluidic pathway of a liquid coolingsystem for providing cooling of an information handling system; andcommunicating one or more signals to a management controller forproviding out-of-band management of the information handling system, theone or more signals indicative of the mechanical strain.
 7. The methodof claim 6, wherein the strain gauge sensor is fluidically coupledbetween an information handling system and a manifold of a chassisconfigured to house a plurality of information handling systemsincluding the information handling system.
 8. The method of claim 7,wherein the management controller is a chassis management controllerconfigured to provide out-of-band management of the chassis andcomponents housed within the chassis.
 9. The method of claim 6, whereinthe strain gauge sensor is internal to an information handling system.10. The method of claim 9, wherein the management controller isconfigured to provide out-of-band management of the information handlingsystem and components of the information handling system.
 11. A systemcomprising: a fluidic channel configured to convey a fluid; and a straingauge sensor within the fluidic channel and configured to: measure amechanical strain upon the strain gauge sensor in response to flow offluid through the fluidic channel; and communicate one or more signalsto a management controller for providing out-of-band management of thesystem, the one or more signals indicative of the mechanical strain. 12.The system of claim 11, wherein the strain gauge sensor is configured tofluidically couple between an information handling system and a manifoldof a chassis configured to house a plurality of information handlingsystems including the information handling system.
 13. The system ofclaim 12, wherein the management controller is a chassis managementcontroller configured to provide out-of-band management of the chassisand components housed within the chassis.
 14. The system of claim 11,wherein the management controller is configured to provide out-of-bandmanagement of an information handling system and components of theinformation handling system.